Rain
by Big Sister Kitty
Summary: Character Study, Yzak-centric. The PLANTS are ultimately incapable of simulating Earth, but as far as a man may stray, he cannot avoid what is always a part of him.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Gundam SEED_.

**Rain**

The rain came down in torrents, splattering the windshield with droplets of water. Yzak Joule turned the wheel to the left, and in a fluid motion the car slid on the pavement and into a heavy traffic. He sighed, feeling somewhat relaxed. He removed his hands from the steering wheel, and lazily watched the blinking of car lights and lamp posts either flashing or glowing faintly in the reflection of the falling raindrops.

Rain. The things one can find in the PLANTS these days. A built-in weather machine is quite a feat, but smart as Coordinators are, they had neglected the fact that traffic in the rain is still a lingering inconvenience. Technology hasn't solved much. Yes, the rain is predictable now, but was it worth the convenience? Convenience makes people—whether Naturals or Coordinators—very ignorant.

Hidden within the caress of dark matter the PLANTS don't have much trouble forgetting the war. Only those Earthlings do, since the battlefield is mostly situated in their territories. There _is_ the threat of being shot down, however, but why do they even bother? The destroyed PLANTS will always have a chance for revenge. If space permits, they would eventually float towards the Earth, only to be pulled down by its gravity and disintegrate half its population.

The traffic still showed no sign of letting up. He leaned back on his seat, letting soft silver spread on the headrest.

The Coordinators. What the Earth has given they had taken and ran away, rebelliously shunning it and creating their own distant, parallel, and _predictable_ utopia.

Now he does not shun his own kind, though he, the Commander of the _Voltaire_ and _Rousseau_, is often what one would call a bigoted soldier who firmly believes that he is superior to his enemies. But in all fairness he is a brilliant soldier, and genuinely cares for the Coordinators, even if he comes across as rather hot-tempered and hard-headed.

_Tap, tap, tap._

It seems as if the rain has surpassed his stubbornness. From living in the PLANTS for the most part of his life, he can conclude that the rain, like any other within the PLANTS, will not stop for quite some time. How common, how _consistent_. The only thing that is unpredictable here is the traffic.

It is frustrating, but even if he is not a Natural, there is still that part of him that's connected to the planet, and that part heaves a sigh. A sad nostalgic sigh, mourning this lack of naturalness. The fact that rain was never artificial until one lived in the PLANTS has been widely accepted, but now—he narrowed his eyes—but now, why does he still miss it? Why is there a part of him that longs for that Mother's love, that Mother's gentle showers, and that Mother's gentle smile. Why _does_ the Mother Earth seem to smile? Is it because she is hoping for her strayed children to come home? Or, is she wishing her children a happy life away from her arms?

"Hey punk! Get a move on!"

He immediately straightened up. Someone was beeping his car horn loudly behind him. The car in front of him had moved forward slightly. He sighed and moved as well. Even if they are supposed to be superior, some Coordinators are still imitating the brusque manners of the Natural.

The car in front of him stopped after a few feet, and he leaned out of the window. A long cheerless line of cars was trailing infinitely, stubbornly refusing to budge from the light rain. He frowned. It was a waste of time to sit and wait, but what else was there to do?

He pulled his head back into the car, wearily resigned himself to his fate, and turned on the car radio.

"…_The ongoing hostilities between ZAFT and the Earth Alliance in the northern regions of Africa have taken a turn for the worst,_" the radio static cackled. "_An Alliance facility was bombed at 7:34 AM, US Pacific Time, after a territorial dispute has erupted on both sides. Seventeen of the Alliance soldiers were killed in the explosion and the fate of an estimated seventy more have yet to be confirmed. So far, authorities are convinced that the ZAFT protectorate in South Africa is to blame for the destruction of the military base and the genocide of more than twelve hundred citizens living around the area…_"

Disgusted, he quickly changed to another station. Those Naturals. Always blaming ZAFT for everything. They were the ones who had caused this war in the first place.

From the corner of his eye he could see a mother and her son come out of a small, cheerily-lit shop. The mother was fumbling for her umbrella, while holding her groceries at the same time. Her small boy of around three years was waiting impatiently for his mother, his small chubby hand grasping the rim of his little baseball cap.

Yzak shifted his attention back to the traffic light, and brightened a little as the glow changed from red to green. He started forward.

Time slowed at that moment. A little baseball cap flew into his windshield. He stepped on the accelerator in surprise, heard a piercing yell, and snapped back to attention. He slammed onto the brakes. The car stopped in time before hitting the boy, halting a mere two inches from his face. Yzak breathed heavily, feeling cold sweat break out. Through contracted pupils he watched the mother run to the road and embrace her sobbing child.

He got out of his car despite the rain and picked up the soggy, fallen cap. Smiling consolation, he held it out to the boy, who immediately stopped crying and reached out for it while staring at him with his tear-stained eyes with a look of gratitude. The mother sighed, and smiled in relief as she carried her son to the sidewalk, unmindful of the rain. Yzak returned to his car and turned on the ignition.

The rain splattered his windshield, lightly like the dancing sprites of a world far removed from his home, but reaching ever closer.

He drove off into the winding path.

The radio static announced: "_The Chief Representative of Orb, Cagalli Yula Atha, has moved to provide help and support for the victims of the hurricane in the Atlantic regions. The hurricane has affected both the ZAFT and Alliance bases…_"

_**Fin.**_

Here is my first short story type fanfic, but I won't let that deter you from criticizing me.

By the way, in case you were wondering, I never alluded to Ezalia.


End file.
